Method for distributing software

Abstract

One of a plurality of users purchases a PC card in which software is included from a distributor of communication software or a seller of PC cards. This purchaser informs a non-purchaser through a safe channel such as off-line of a key for encryption, a URL of the site from which to download the software and a retrieval induction code. The non-purchaser accesses the distributor of communication software, etc., via a network using the URL, key and retrieval induction code, downloads the software corresponding to the software that the purchaser owns, and executes cipher communications or a competition game with the purchaser. The distributor of software or the seller of PC cards pays the purchaser who satisfies certain conditions based upon the contents registered in the user management database.

1 . A method in which a first user to whom a right to use a piece of software is granted distributes to a second user the software required for doing a task between the first user and the second user, comprising: 
 distributing said software together with at least a distribution authorization code to identify and correlate said software to the first user;    distributing to the second user, responsive to the distribution authorization code, the same software as said software identified by the code of which the first user has informed the second user; and    said software is a software for cipher communications;    said code is used to make a secret key for the cipher communications; and    a secret key that is identified by said code is set in said software that the second user obtains.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first user has to pay a reward in return for the distribution right of said software.  
   
   
       3 . (canceled)  
   
   
       4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 a plurality of said codes is distributed to the first user, and each code can be used only once.    
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 additional codes to use the software can be distributed to the first user in a later purchase of the first user with an additional charge.    
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the first user obtains said software by storing the code in a PC card.    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the first user informs the second user off-line of said code.    
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the second user obtains software on-line.    
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the second user obtains said software off-line.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 the first user receives a reward by satisfying a plurality of specified conditions related to the distribution of the software.    
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 when the second user communicates with a third user that is different from the first user, the second user receives said code from the first user, and sets a right to copy said software when obtaining said software, and transfers said copying right to the third user so that the third user can obtain the same software as said software, and the second user and the third user can communicate using said software.    
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 when the second user communicates with a third user that is different from the first user, the first user gives said code to the third user, enabling a communication between the first user and the third user by the third user's obtaining the same kind of software as that of the first user, using said code, and then the first user informs the second user of said code so that the second user can download the software required for the communications between the first user and the third user.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein 
 the same kind of software owned by the third user as the software of the first user is a software for cipher communications that makes the same secret key using the same code.    
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein 
 the first user can arbitrarily set an ID for said code, and a communication of the first user with the second user is enabled by the second user's using said ID instead of said code for the communication with the first user.    
   
   
       18 . A method, comprising: 
 distributing cipher communication software to a first user with the software allowing secure bidirectional communication along with an authorization code;    allowing the first user to provide the authorization code to a second user;    allowing the second user to obtain the cipher communication software using the authorization code;    creating a cipher communication key using the authorization code; and    allowing the second user to communicate with the first user using the cipher communication software where the cipher communication software communicates using the cipher communication key for secure cipher communication.    
   
   
       19 . A method, comprising: 
 distributing cipher communication software to a first user with the cipher communication software allowing secure bidirectional ciphered communication;    distributing an authorization code to the first user;    allowing a second user to obtain the cipher communication software using the authorization code;    creating a cipher communication key with the authorization code; and    securely and bi-directionally communicating between the first and second users via the cipher communication software using the cipher communication key.